Vocabulary+Instruction

[|Dr.][|Marzano] describes a six-step process in the instruction of vocabulary ([|Building Academic Vocabulary] ). The first three steps are to assist the teacher in direct instruction. The last three steps are to provide the learner practice and reinforcement.

 • Provide learners information about the term. • Determine what the learner already knows about the term. • Ask learners to share what they already know as a means of monitoring misconceptions. • Ask learners to share what they already know to use this knowledge as a foundation for more learning. • Utilize examples, descriptions, but **not definitions. ** • Instruct learning of proper noun terms through identifying characteristics of the proper noun.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Step 1: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> The teacher will give a description, explanation, or example of the new term.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Definitions **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> are not a recommended method for vocabulary instruction as they do not provide learners an informal, natural way to learn new vocabulary.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Step 2: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The student will give a description, explanation, or example of the new term in his/her own words.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Remind learners to not copy, but use their own words. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Monitor students to determine if any confusion exists. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Provide more descriptions, explanations, or examples if necessary. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Request that students record these in their <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|Academic Notebook Worksheet]. These notebooks can travel with the learner as he/she moves through each grade level and become a compilation of vocabulary terms mastered. Step 3: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The student will draw a picture, symbol, or locate a graphic to represent the new term.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Provides learners a nonlinguistic method of vocabulary mastery. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Share examples of other learners' drawings or allow students to work in teams to help those who complain that cannot draw. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Teach the concept of speed drawing for those who labor too long over their work. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Ask learner to share their work. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Use graphics from magazines or the Internet. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Internet Clipart Resources: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|Madrid Teacher] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|Vocabulary Quiz Using Images] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Illustrating terms through symbols, drawing the actual term, illustrating with a cartoon, or drawing an example of the term should be encouraged.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Step 4: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The learner will participate in activities that provide more knowledge of the words in their __<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|vocabulary notebooks] __.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Remind learners to not copy, but use their own words. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Encourage learners to identify prefixes, suffixes, antonyms, synonyms, related words for the vocabulary term as "new info" on the <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|Academic Notebook Worksheet]. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">If English is a second language to the learner, provide an opportunity to translate the word into their native language (<span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|BabelFish] ). A list of activities can be found at: <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|Vocabulary Co] ., <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|Game Aquarium], <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|ESL Bears] , <span style="line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: 'Century Gothic'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-font-family: 'Century Gothic';">[|Word Scrambler]


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Step 5: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The learner will discuss the term with other learners.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">THINK: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Allow think time for learners to review their own descriptions and images of the terms. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">PAIR: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Put learners in pairs to discuss their descriptions, images, and any new info related to the terms. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">SHARE: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> Provide opportunity for groups to share aloud and discuss conceptions and misconceptions. Monitor as learners help each other identify and clear up confusion about new terms.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Example: Pair-Share Strategy **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Step 6: **<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">The learner will participate in games that provide more reinforcement of the new term.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">• <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">A variety of games are available at these websites: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|PowerPoint Games] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|Word Game Boards] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|Excel Games] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|WORDO] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|Twister] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">– <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msoansifontsize: 12.0pt; msoasciifontfamily: 'Century Gothic'; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msobidifontsize: 12.0pt; msobidithemefont: minor-bidi; msohansifontfamily: 'Century Gothic';">[|Fly Swat]


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">What is Academic Vocabulary? **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Academic vocabulary is the vocabulary **critical to understanding the concepts of the content taught in schools**. In identifying academic vocabulary for instruction teachers must remember that **not all terms are of equal importance**.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;">􀁻 <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Some terms are critically important. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;">􀁻 <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Some terms are useful but not critical. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings;">􀁻 <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Some terms are interesting but not useful.


 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Why teach Academic Vocabulary? **

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">According to Marzano (2005) the strongest action a teacher can take to ensure that students have the academic background knowledge to understand the content they will encounter is providing them with direct instruction in these terms. When students understand these terms, it is easier for them to understand the information they will read and hear in class. <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; msobidifontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: center;"> ** ELL Students and Academic Vocabulary ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Marzano and Pickering (2005), emphasize the importance of teaching ELL academic vocabulary in a systematic approach. They suggest that vocabulary programs that emphasize high-frequency terms fail to provide the background knowledge needed for student success in the content areas. Students learn high-frequency words through wide reading of fiction and informational text. <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">